Goal for a basketball game

ABSTRACT

A GOAL FOR A BASKETBALL GAME IS SUSPENDED FROM A PAIR OF SUPPORT RODS WHICH ARE CONNECTED TO DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE POINTS ON THE RIM OF THE GOAL. THE UPPER ENDS OF THE SUPPORT RODS ARE PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO AN OVERHEAD SUPPORT BAR   WHICH IS ROTATABLE ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS EXTENDING THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE RIM.

United States Patent [56] v References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [72]Inventor Eugene M. Fuller Aiken, S.C. (300 Pine Knoll Drive, Greenville,SC. 29609) 5555 XWL l I N333 777 222 3 7 2 a H. b n mw em mk a n a r.ZMHTM 57688 9 336 89999 11111 1111591 29406 37929 1 2 2 905 3 336 1 1223 9l 9 in LWM BA 0. d N m l n ww fla AFP ll] 25 224 [ll PrimaryExaminer-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerPaul E. ShapiroAuorneyBeveridge & DeGrandi ABSTRACT: A goal for a basketball game issuspended from a pair of support rods which'are connected todiametrically opposite points on the rim of the goal. The upper ends ofthe support rods are pivotally connected to an overhead support barwhich is rotatable about a vertical axis extending through the center ofthe rim.

PATENTEH JUH28 I971 FIG] INVENTOR EUGENE M FULLER BY a m $7 M ATTORNEYSGOAL FOR A BASKETBALL GAME BACKGROUND This invention involves a goal fora basketball game.

It is well known that conventional basketball goals are comprised of ahorizontally oriented hoop or rim adjacent to a vertically orientedbackboard. The presence of the backboard limits the shooting zone to thearea lying radially through about 180 of the center of the rim. As usedherein, the term shooting zone" describes the area in the playing courtfrom which a ball may be thrown at the goal without striking anyintervening apparatus. In the conventional game of basketball, theorientation of the goal and the shooting zone does not change.

In one previous variant to the conventional basketball game, a rimwithout a backboard is supported on a pedestal which stands at thecenter of the playing court. When using such apparatus, the shootingzone extends horizontally throughout 360 from the center of the goal.The location of the rim and the location of the shooting zone remainunchanged during the course of play.

SUMMARY According to one aspect of the present invention, a movableobstruction member extends above and proximate to the rim, therebylimiting the area of the shooting zone. Preferably, but not necessarilythe obstruction is connected to the rim. The mobility of the obstructioncauses it to change its position when struck by a ball during play, thuschanging the location of the shooting zone. This variation introduces onan element of chance which requires different playing tactics than areused in ordinary basketball.

Another phase of the invention involves a pair of obstructions whichextend upwardly from diametrically opposed points on the rim. Thisarrangement results in a unique pattern of the shooting zones in theplaying field. Essentially, this pattern includes a pair of sectorswhich are symmetrically located on opposite sides of a vertical planethrough the obstructions. Preferably the obstructions are rods whichsuspend from rim from an elevated support, so that the playing courtdirectly below the rim will be unobstructed. Also, it is preferred topivotally connect the rods to the elevated support so that the rim mayswing after being struck by a ball to add another element of action tothe game. As a further refinement, the elevated support may pivot abouta vertical axis to provide the movable obstruction described in thepreceding paragraph.

One object of the invention is to add an element of chance to a game ofbasketball by providing a movable obstruction near the rim in order toprovide for variations in the shooting zone available to the players.

Another object is to provide a basketball goal which will present twoopposed limited sectors from which a ball may successfully be shot atthe goal.

Still another object is to avoid the presence of any obstacles in aplaying court by suspending the goal from an elevated structure.

A further object is have a swingable rim, the center of which may shifthorizontally when the goal is struck by a ball, thus adding a newelement of excitement to the game. Additional advantages of thisapparatus will occur to those skilled in the art and those personsplaying the interesting and active game connected therewith.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The sole embodiment of the invention whichis disclosed in the drawings incorporates all of the novel features ofthis invention, any of which may be utilized in diverse forms ofapparatus.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view which illustrates a goal constructedaccording to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a playing court which may be associated withthe goal of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIG. 1, a goalconstructed according to this invention includes a horizontally orientedcircular rim 2 which has the elevation and diameter of a regulationbasketball goal. This rim 2 defines an opening 4 through which a ballmust pass in a usual fashion in order to score. A net 6 of conventionalconstruction is attached to the rim.

The rim 2 is supported so that its central axis may deviate horizontallywhen it is struck by a ball. The supports which permit such movementinclude a pair of suspension rods 8 which at their lower ends arepivotally connected by bolts 9 to the diametrically opposed ears 7 onthe rim 2. The upper ends of the rods are connected to an elevatedsupport member such as support bar 10 in a manner which permits the rodsto swing about two mutually perpendicular horizontal axes. The upper endof each rod 8 carries a bifurcated end piece 12 which pivots on a bolt14 passing through the link 16. The link 16 is, in turn, pivotallyconnected to the bar 10 by the bolts 18. This particular arrangementpermits the rim 2 to swing when it is hit by a ball. Any swingingmovement about the bolts 14 will result in the slight inclination of therim 2. Any horizontal movement of the rim in the plane defined by thetwo support rods 8 will not cause the rim 2 to incline due to theparallelo gram linkage connected by the bolts 9 and 18 and formed by therim 2, the bar 10 and the rods 8.

In order to permit the ball to pass downwardly through the rim, there isan unobstructed zone which extends vertically upwardly from the rim 2.Preferably, the vertical extent of this zone is at least 1% times thehorizontal dimension of the opening in the rim 2. As shown, theeffective length of the suspension rods 8 is at least 1% times thehorizontal dimension of the opening of the goal.

The rods 8, in addition to supporting the rim 2, serve an importantfunction by limiting the zones from which a ball may be successfullyshot at the goal. The rods 8 form obstructions which limit the shootingzone to the shaded area 20 shown in FIG. 2.

The location of the shooting zones 20 changes during play due to theability of the elevated support member 10 to rotate about a verticalaxis which extends centrally through the opening of rim 2. This resultsin horizontal translation of the rods 8 in a circular path generatedfrom the center of the rim opening. Such movement is provided bysupporting the bar 10 from a vertically extending shaft which isrotatably mounted in a stationary bearing sleeve 24. The bearing sleeve24 is supported by the bracket 26 and a column 28 which is held on anoverhead beam 30 between a flange 29 and a screw cap on the uppersurface of the beam 30.

One suitable arrangement for the playing court is illustrated in FIG. 2where the circle 33 represents the location of the rim 2. A series ofconcentric circles 34, 36 and 38 are generated from a vertical axisthrough the rim 2. The outermost circle 34 preferably has a radius ofabout 25 feet and defines the boundary of the playing court. The circle36 has a radius of about 12 feet and is also used when shooting freethrows. The circle 38 encloses the 3-second zone.

The rules of play may provide for passing the ball into play from eitherof the side marks 40. Penalties are called as in regulation basketballgames and free throws are made from any point outside the circle 36.Whenever possession of the ball changes during play, for example after amissed shot or an intercepted pass, the team taking possession must takethe ball outside the circle 36 before shooting at the goal. Furtherdetailed rules and the manner of scoring may be devised as necessary.

When playing a game using this apparatus, a misthrown ball which strikesan obstruction rod 8 or the bar 10 will, of course, cause the rotationof the entire assembly about the vertical axis of the bearing sleeve 24.This causes the shooting zones 20 to be relocated so that a playerstanding in what was a dead" spot may then be in an ideal shootingposition. This aspect of the game, in addition to adding an element ofchance, will call for a unique type of strategy in playing the game,making it important for players on each team to be distributedthroughout the playing area. This features makes the game ideally suitedto persons who either for physical reasons or by choice do not wish toengage in the extremely strenuous exercise which is required forconventional basketball.

This invention may, of course, be modified considerably while remainingwithin the bounds of the inventive concepts described in the followingclaims.

lclaim:

1. Apparatus for a game of basketball comprising a goal centrallylocated above an unobstructed playing surface, said goal having a rimnormally oriented in a horizontal plane to define an opening throughwhich a ball may pass, and overhead support means for the rim includingat least a pair of spaced apart suspension rods which extend upwardlyfrom the goal to form obstructions to the passage of a ball toward therim, said suspension rods forming the sole obstacles to movement of theball from the playing surface to the rim.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the effective length of thesuspension rods is at least 1 /2 times the horizontal dimension of theopening, said rods being supported for horizontal translatory movementin a path generated from a vertical axis which extends centrally throughthe rim.

3. Apparatus according to claim I wherein the suspension rods aresupported to permit their inclination and the consequent horizontaldisplacement of the rim upon being struck by a ball during a play.

4. Apparatus for a game of basketball comprising a goal having a rimnormally oriented in the horizontal plane to define an opening throughwhich a ball may pass, an obstruction member extending vertically aboveand adjacent to said rim to form an obstacle limiting the angularpositions from which a ball may enter the opening, said obstructionmember being movable in a circular path generated from a vertical axiswhich extends centrally of the opening, thereby to change the angularpositions from which the ball may enter the opening,

said rim also being mounted for swingable movement about an axisvertically displaced therefrom to permit horizontal displacement whenstruck by a ball.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the obstruction is attached to saidgoal, and the goal is bodily rotatable about said vertical axis to carrythe obstacle in its said circular path.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 having a pair of said obstructions locatedat diametrically opposed portions of the rim.

7. Apparatus for a game of basketball comprising a goal having a rimnormally oriented in a horizontal plane to define an opening throughwhich a ball may pass, at least two obstruction members attached to andextending upwardly from the rim, an elevated support member, saidobstruction members being pivotally connected both to the rim and to theelevated support member to form a parallelogram linkage for supportingthe rim, said rim and the obstruction members being supported for freerotation during play about a generally vertical axis so that theobstruction members provide obstacles which are moved by the impact of aball to change the angular positions from which a ball may enter theopening.

8. Apparatus for a game of basketball comprising a goal having a rimnormally oriented in a horizontal plane to define an opening throughwhich a ball may pass, an obstruction member attached to the rim andextending upwardly therefrom to support the rim, said rim and theobstruction member being supported for free rotation during play about agenerally vertical axis, means pivotally supporting the obstructionmember for swinging movement about a generally horizontal axis which islocated above the rim a distance of at least 1% times the horizontaldimension of the opening, said rim being nonrotatable with respect tothe obstruction about an axis parallel to said horizontal axis; wherebythe rim and the obstruction member will be rotated about the verticalaxis by the impact of a ball against the rim, with the obstructionmember r oviding a movable obstacle which changes the angular positionsfrom which a ball may enter the opening, said rim also inclining andswinging about said horizontal axis when struck by a ball during play.

